When the cold winds blow, all we need is a steaming bowl of soup to warm our hearts and bellies.

This winter has been so extraordinary. Instead of the usual struggle with the cold I find myself radiating warmth from this little bundle of joy that is growing bigger and stronger every day. One of the side effects of pregnancy combined with good timing turns into a major perk, much to Camille’s content! On the other hand, I’m more susceptible to colds and such, so one of my concerns lately has been how to boost my immune system while topping up on iron, B vitamins and protein, among other nutritional requirements.

Let’s just say this has become a favourite soup this winter, it is hearty and filling and it lifts up our spirits just by looking at the gorgeous sunshine in our bowls. So much so that we’ve made extra and froze a few portions to have on the ready when the need for a hearty soup comes and there’s not enough time for cooking.

With gratitude and excitement in these final weeks,

S & C

Carrot Pumpkin & Lentil Soup

Serves 6-7

Notes: Last time I made this soup, there was some leftover broth so I used 1 onion only and replaced 0,5L water with onion broth and it was quite tasty.

If butternut or other sweet winter squashes are no longer available, try using sweet potato instead. (Tip: we like to buy large amounts of assorted pumpkins / squashes in the end of autumn and store them in our pantry to use throughout winter.)

Turmeric in dried or fresh form will stain everything yellow virtually forever, something to take in consideration (oh and my advice, wear an apron).

2 TBsp coconut oil (or ghee, or olive oil)

3 bay leaves

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp caraway seeds

pinch of Cayenne pepper

2 onions, chopped

6 medium carrots, chopped

1 small butternut (+- 2 cups), chopped

5 garlic cloves

5cm ginger root, chopped

1 TBsp turmeric (fresh or dried)

220g / 1 heaping cup red lentils

1,3 L / 5,5 cups water or vegetable broth (or a mix of both)

1 tsp sea salt

freshly milled black pepper, to taste

Heat oil and spices in a large cooking pot over medium heat for 1 minute; add onions, carrots and pumpkin mix them around and cook for 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables soften a bit – try to not overcook so as to keep as many nutrients as possible.

Remove bay leaves and blend everything (using a mixer or an immersion blender) until you have a creamy puree. If it’s too thick, add more water.

Server with a drizzle of a good omega 3 rich cold pressed oil (I like to use camelina, walnut or colza) and toasted pumpkin seeds. Fresh coriander is also quite tasty.